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Video: Bath replacement Matavesi catches out Leicester with outrageous try-creating dummy

(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Bath rolled back the years at Welford Road on Saturday, achieving a hat-trick of Welford Road wins for the first time in more than 100 years with a performance that oozed creativity capped by an outrageous try-creating dummy executed by replacement Josh Matavesi on 53 minutes. 

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With the score 31-6 in favour of Bath, Matavesi caught the ball near the ten-metre line inside his own half from a Harry Potter clearance and he then embarked on a counterattack.

Approaching halfway he feigned a pass to his left before straightening his line, bursting past off-balance Leicester forward Tomas Lavanini and then sprinting clear into opposition territory. 

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There, he drew what remained of the Tigers cover before giving the try assist pass to young Tom de Glanville, who scored his first Premiership try. 

“Everyone who has come off the bench for Bath has had an impact. It’s like a training run for some of them,” chirped Austin Healey, who was commentating on the game for BT Sport. 

“Matavesi comes across the field… they [Leicester] just don’t get the defensive line in place. Lavanini is left just floundering in the midfield… look, he picks him off. He knows exactly where he wants to go.”

Fellow pundit Ben Kay added while watching the replay of Matavesi: “Just look at the smile. Throws the biggest dummy ever.”

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The try was one of six delivered by Bath in a comprehensive 38-16 win which kept them firmly in the race for the Gallagher Premiership play-offs against a Leicester XV where new head coach Steve Borthwick handed out three debuts and made 13 changes, resting all his England contingent apart from prop Dan Cole.

 

 

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J
JW 2 hours ago
'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Where? I remember saying "unders"? The LNR was formed by the FFR, if I said that in a way that meant the 'pro' side of the game didn't have an equal representation/say as the 'amateur' side (FFR remit) that was not my intent.


But also, as it is the governing body, it also has more responsibility. As long as WR looks at FFR as the running body for rugby in France, that 'power' will remain. If the LNR refuses to govern their clubs use of players to enable a request by FFR (from WR) to ensure it's players are able to compete in International rugby takes place they will simply remove their participation. If the players complain to the France's body, either of their health and safety concerns (through playing too many 'minutes' etc) or that they are not allowed to be part in matches of national interest, my understanding is action can be taken against the LNR like it could be any other body/business. I see where you're coming from now re EPCR and the shake up they gave it, yes, that wasn't meant to be a separate statement to say that FFR can threaten them with EPCR expulsion by itself, simply that it would be a strong repercussion for those teams to be removed (no one would want them after the above).


You keep bringing up these other things I cannot understand why. Again, do you think if the LNR were not acting responsibly they would be able to get away with whatever they want (the attitude of these posters saying "they pay the players")? You may deem what theyre doing currently as being irresponsible but most do not. Countries like New Zealand have not even complained about it because they've never had it different, never got things like windfall TV contracts from France, so they can't complain because theyre not missing out on anything. Sure, if the French kept doing things like withholding million dollar game payments, or causing millions of dollars of devaluation in rights, they these things I'm outlining would be taking place. That's not the case currently however, no one here really cares what the French do. It's upto them to sort themselves out if they're not happy. Now, that said, if they did make it obvious to World Rugby that they were never going to send the French side away (like they possibly did stating their intent to exclude 20 targeted players) in July, well then they would simply be given XV fixtures against tier 2 sides during that window and the FFR would need to do things like the 50/50 revenue split to get big teams visiting in Nov.

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